Writing in the time of Covid

 Having spent a number of days dipping a canoe paddle into the water, setting a book on the St. Croix National Scenic Waterway was logical. My protagonist, Doug Fletcher, is a former scout who grew up in Minnesota, so putting him in a canoe on the river was a no-brainer. Heck, there are even two scout camps along the river within a few miles of Stillwater, Minnesota. As a former resident of the Twin Cites (St. Paul and Minneapolis) he'd obviously know Stillwater, the camps, the river, and the risks of canoeing. Then came the hard part - what's the mystery?

The book opens with a honeymoon couple paddling down the St. Croix. A silly mishap causes their canoe to tip. Doug and Jill Fletcher, US National Park Service investigators, get a call at their home location, Padre Island National Seashore. The superintendent of the St. Croix park makes a frantic request for their assistance. VIPs are expected and she needs to know the fate of the missing couple before the VIPS arrive.

I had fun writing this book. Jill Fletcher whispered to me, offering hints about the plot, the scenery, her evolving relationship with Doug, and her anxiety about her new investigator role. In many respects, the characters told their stories and I was the scribe who recorded the events. 

I'd awake and rush to the computer (I may have started the coffee pot along the way) and spend an hour or two (or four) recording the thoughts as they came to me. The evolving dialogue steered the story, flowing into my rough outline. 

And Covid helped. Like the rest of you, I was mildly paranoid. With the encouragement of the Minnesota Governor, I sat at home, isolated from the outside world. Without the distractions of library and bookstore speaking commitments, I focused on writing. Jill and Doug Fletcher have been my friends for over a year, and they've shared their joys, their fears, and their deepest emotions as I recorded them. Thanks to Covid, they became my point of outside contact. I put myself in a canoe alongside them as we paddled, pushed along by the gentle St. Croix current. I felt the burn in unused muscles, saw the natural beauty of the river, and felt the sun on my back. I also endured the swarms of mosquitoes in the backwaters, the anxiety of the search for the missing couple, the terror of being on the water miles from the nearest landing as thunder rumbled in the distance. 

There's more to a book than the writing. I spend hours doing research into which diseases ticks and mosquitoes carry and the history behind the Park Service's acquisition of the property along the St. Croix waterfront. Which areas of the river are restricted to canoes and which allow motorboats? How fast does an empty canoe or lifejacket drift down river? Where would a pair of rangers meet a local cop for lunch? Which motel would they stay in? How far is their motel from the park headquarters and is it faster to drive to the park headquarters on the Minnesota or Wisconsin roads?

I contacted Chris, the ranger at the Andersen Boy Scout Camp, Mike, an fellow Eagle scout, Deanna, my consultant on all things cop and horse related, and others. Natalie and Anne proofread.

Finally, the manuscript went to Jude Pittman, at BWL Publishing. Michelle Lee designed the cover. Susan Davis edited and made the book even better. 

Greg Peterson, a reader, texted me to tell me how much he loved Jill and Doug Fletcher. He said they'd become old friends he'd like to have over for a beer and conversation. Another reader told me she wished Fletchers were her relatives. They're so nice, loving, and comfortable. My heart swells when I hear feedback like that. I'm pleased to be able to share the Fletcher's stories with you, the reader. Jill whispers to me. Right now she's telling me to end this before I give away the Down River ending. 

I hope you read and enjoy Down River and the other Fletcher mysteries. Doug and Jill will be back later this year.